I never thought I would make it to 10,000 points, let alone 100,000 and I can hardly believe I crossed that 1,000,000 point threshold this evening. It's been quite a journey. And, for those of you read my post on My life almost changed in an instant, you know that it has not been easy starting my own business. Shortly after that, I stumbled on to Active Rain, and it has been a game changer for my business."
No, it didn't happen over night, and it took hard work and lots of learning. I started blogging on Active Rain on July 3rd, 2010 (around 2.5 yrs ago). That weekend, I was stuck at home and had some free time, so I explored. I realized a day or two later that I had stumbled onto a gold mine. The only problem was, I didn't know how to find the treasure. I didn't know how to blog, I didn't understand SEO (or even what it stood for), and I barely knew how to edit my website.
So, I read, and took some actions, and then read some more and took some more actions. Rinse, repeat, practice, read, edit/improve, etc. I told myself that over the summer I would do a little bit each weekend, and that's what I did. I attended the Active Rain Webinars, and learned a ton. And, then thanks to "crazy" Karen Bernetti, I found myself sucked into the first "30 in 30 day" challenge. Then, I got hooked. (and she single handedly made this a habit for so many of us.
At first, I thought I could probably write about 10 topics, but after that, what the heck would I blog about? Well I learned, like so many of you, that once you start blogging, it becomes part of you and blog topics just keep popping into your head. They can come from comments and questions people leave or from questions customers ask during my appoints or just random stuff. It's really transforming.
Back when I started, I read about people reaching milestones and how wonderful the people are and how valuable the relationships are, etc, and I thought (What???). But, of course, now I get it! It's amazing how many wonderful people I've met and how many I've spoken to on the phone. I loved Rain Camp, and I love all of our local MeetUps, and of course I love Active Rain.
Business-wise, this place has been phenomenal. From the combo of Active Rain and my websites, I'm now getting 5 appointments a week. And, that doesn't even include the business from some of the local real estate agents/decorators or any of the other realtors they have introduced me to nor all of the other great marketing ideas I've found here.
And, of course, Active Rain has helped me come up with The Flooring Girl positioning (and how to optimize the site). It's has also led to us getting on 2 TV episodes of Sell This House, and it looks like I now have a chance to be on a radio show for The Flooring industry (cross your fingers).
The points are fun. I admit it. They keep me accountable to my blogging plan, which in turn leads to a lot of business. So, it's a good habit, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this community. I worked my way up the board and earned free membership at 500,000 points...and for all of you working your way up, keep it up. That day will come soon!
If you are not getting found on the internet yet, stick around, read and observe and attend the University sessions/watch the videos. It works.
Active Rain has become a part of my business and a part of my life. It's the first place I go every morning, and often the last at night. And, when I'm having a bad day, I come here to get my mind off of things and get more positive energy. There are just too many people to thank, so instead, I'm going to thank everybody - all the members and all the staff. Thank you all for being so welcoming, even though I'm from another industry. You make me feel special. Thank you.
As Kerrie would say, Blog on!
Comments (92)Subscribe to CommentsComment